This time last week I was doing what I always do on a Tuesday. It’s my Monday, really, since I seem to always work at The Container Store on Mondays. (Come say hi!) It’s my day to put the house back together after the weekend, the day I try to get my blogging business in order, the day I sit down and figure out what we’re going to eat for the week. Exciting stuff, I tell ya.
As I’m getting out of the shower, my cell phone rings and it just so happens to be Peter King, the NFL senior writer for Sports Illustrated. Let me just tell you, when Peter King asks you what you’re up to, do not tell him you’re naked … because that would be awkward. But when Peter King calls, you pick up the damn phone and have a good answer ready for when he asks what you’re up to.
“Me? Oh, just folding laundry.” *facepalm*
Lucky for me, I don’t think he was particularly interested in my answer. He had bigger fish to fry, like asking me if I would be interested in writing an essay for his Sports Illustrated website, The MMQB. If I could’ve answered YES and HELL NO at the same time, I would’ve, but thankfully sane Angie pushed chickenshit Angie out of the way and responded yes.
You see, there was kind of a big game here in Indianapolis last week. For the first time since Peyton Manning parted ways with the Colts he was returning to town to play. Peter knows that my feelings for Peyton run deep, and he was hoping I could write something that would express how most Indianapolis fans were feeling as we faced this particular game.
My essay appeared on The MMQB website on Friday. As someone who can churn out words about toilet paper if I have to, I find myself speechless when it comes to describing what that moment was like when I saw my name alongside other writers who I admire so much. There was much SQUEE-ing and seal-clapping, and even a few tears. Unsportsmanlike conduct for sure, but stuff like this doesn’t happen to me every day. Fine me. Some people have regular bucket lists, I have a sports-only themed bucket list. But even this wasn’t on there, as I didn’t think it was even a remote possibility. Dream big kids, and one day you too might have crusty sports fans calling you a weepy woman and questioning Sports Illustrated’s integrity in the comment section of your piece.
So for those of you who were wondering how me, of all people, could’ve kept her pie hole shut the whole week before her favorite NFL player ever returned to town in something other than Colts Blue, wonder no more. I couldn’t keep quiet, I just had a bigger audience this time around.
Emotions Are Torn, But the Jersey Is Intact appears on The MMQB. I hope you’ll read it and let me know how you felt about the game, now that it’s all said and done. (For the record, now that I’m done getting weepy about Peyton Manning, I’m shedding a few tears for Reggie Wayne and his season-ending knee injury.)
!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, Angie!!!!! How EXCITING!!! I have so many questions… how did this guy even know about you? What a fabulous opportunity!!! That is just sooo AMAZING!!! Congrats!! (And can I have your autograph?) Maybe Peyton Manning will call you himself b/c he read your article and wanted to thank you in person? (I’d take that phone call to if I were you… clothed or not…) I’m going to take a wild guess that you did NOT tell the Sports Illustrated guy about your Shkoolie? (sp?) Congrats again!! Your life is so exciting!! And woo-hoo… you look FABULOUS… your Insanity must be paying off!!!! 🙂
Well thanks! Funny thing, once we stopped doing Insanity we started losing weight again! Go figure. No call from Peyton yet … still waiting.
it’s about time! so excited for you.. enjoyed your take and I hope to read more of your stuff in The MMQB… you should be a regular contributor:)
That would be fine by me! I promise, I can write about more than just Peyton. I definitely owe you for some of this … would never had made the contact if you hadn’t invited me along to that tweet-up!
I am so insanely proud of you for this MMQB post. I shared it with Bill and both of us were so happy to know your perspective and history on this topic.